Be Still
by Para111
Summary: Two opposite lifestyles: Sonic lives by adventure, Knuckles by duty. Their differences catapult them on an unexpected journey where Knuckles has the chance to experience the truest kind of freedom... and Sonic learns the value of being still. However, Eggman is quietly plotting, and they are in for one of the deepest challenges of their lives. S&K SLASH/RATING MAY GO UP.
1. Honesty

Hey folks! For starters, yes, this is SonicxKnuckles slash. The rating may go up later. Depends how the cookie crumbles, I guess. However, I fully intended to keep the characters as close to their game counterparts as possible, as characterization is really important to me. :) I don't see enough SonicxKnuckles fanfictions, and this pairing fascinates me for a lot of different reasons. The story can explain it better than I can, so I hope you like it. Let me know if you want more, yeah? Also, constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome.

x

_Disclaimer: all Sonic characters belong to SEGA._

_**WARNING: adult themes, sexual content, and violence.**_

x

Be Still

_Knuckles looked down at the blue blur. He was calm and happy as usual, and if he was nervous, didn't show it. The guardian swallowed, hoping he wasn't showing his own either. "For once, hedgehog, I don't want to hurt you."_

_"I'm used to it by now, Knucklehead." Sonic laughed, remembering all the fights they had been in. "Just hurt me gently, yeah?"_

_Knuckles stared blankly, suddenly distracted. "Yeah…"_

_"Is something wrong?"_

_The echidna met Sonic's emerald gaze. "We can't do this here," he said, suddenly decisive. "There is… something not right…"_

_"Hey, I thought we already talked about…"_

_"No, that's not what I mean. Something is wrong on this island. I thought I sensed it earlier, but… the Master Emerald's energies keep calling to me. Like a warning. Someone has been here… and they still are."_

_"Maybe it's Tails or something. He does keep wondering why I go to your island a lot lately."_

_"No. It's not Tails. Tails wouldn't cause this kind of distress to the Master Emerald."_

_"Then who is it?" Sonic asked._

_"I'm not sure, but I don't want to say my only notion." Knuckles stood up and gazed off, looking without really seeing. The world was darkening but for the line of golden light setting on the horizon. In spite of its beauty, Knuckles closed his eyes. _

_"…I only hope they didn't hear what I said before."_

x

Chapter 1: Honesty

"I've always wondered something, Knuckles."

The red echidna eyed Sonic suspiciously, quirking an eye ridge. "Oh dear. Do I dare wonder what you're wondering?"

Sonic strode back and forth casually in front of the shrine's stairs. Knuckles was sitting on the bottom step, leaning on his hands, elbows on his knees. A little ways in the distance, the Tornado was parked in the grass. Sonic had flown up to Angel Island himself, wanting to talk to Knuckles. That alone unnerved the echidna… and slightly irritated him. Could he not find peace even on this island he was always stuck on? This place he was supposed to call home?

Finally, Knuckles said, "What." It was flat and quiet, and he made no effort to hide his lack of eagerness.

"Well, _that_." Sonic gestured to the echidna, pausing to look down at him. "All '_What_' and stuff, like you don't like me or something. Actually, don't confirm that," Sonic added when the echidna drew breath. "The last few times we've had to work together, you're even more annoyed than usual. I mean, why you such a grump?"

Knuckles scowled at him, standing up. "I am not a grump," he said grumpily.

"No? Then what's wrong?" Sonic held his gaze, arms out as he asked. Knuckles saw genuine concern in his eyes behind the teasing. The expression sapped away the bitterness that would have been in his own response, which likely would have been something like, 'You.'

It would have been an acerbic remark, and not really genuine. There wasn't really anything _wrong _with Sonic, or with anything for that matter.

It was just that so much was not _right_, either.

"It's not that I don't like you, hedgehog." Knuckles's voice was hard and honest as always, but his eyes were downcast. Revealing. "There is so much I like about you. What I don't like is how much of it I can't have."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sonic watched him in confusion, then slowly grinned. "You aren't… _jealous_, are you?"

The guardian crossed his arms and growled under his breath. His hot-tempered reaction was enough of an answer without him actually saying anything. Sonic, realizing his playful remark had actually hit home, dropped the smile and bit his lip.

"Knuckles, I was only…"

"Save it." Knuckles raised a thick, gloved hand. "You should leave. It's getting late."

"It's three in the afternoon," Sonic said blankly. "Listen, I'm not trying to bug ya, okay? I just don't think it's cool when my buds are upset." He shrugged and the smirk came back a little. "Even you."

"Curse echidna honesty," Knuckles muttered. "It's my business, Sonic, not yours. Go live your life."

"Aw, come on!" Sonic approached him insistently. "Hey, maybe you should be telling yourself that, if it bugs you that much."

"I'm already living the only life I'll ever know."

The blue blur's shoulders slumped. "No," he said quietly. "Don't think that way."

"I'm only being realistic." Knuckles looked at him. "Unlike _some _people, I have a job to do. I have a duty that I can never leave. I was born into it." The guardian closed his eyes. He held his duty in high reverence, and knew he was doing a great service to the world by protecting the gem from those who would use it wrongly, even if his role was behind the scenes. But sometimes it was hard to convince himself it was worth the trade-off. Feeling this way now, Knuckles sighed deeply and sat back down. "Just once I wish I could do the things you do every day."

"Just once?" Sonic repeated. "Dude, you've done loads of the things we've done! You've gone on adventures!"

"Exactly. I've been caught up with you and Tails. I've never had the chance to go see the world just because I want to. Yet you run around like a nut every day as though it's nothing. Do you even realize what you have?"

"Of course I do." Sonic sat down next to his friend. "It means a lot to me. Knux, if I could somehow give you the same opportunity, I would. I never knew it bugged ya so much." Sonic thought of something. It was probably a silly suggestion, but he threw it out there just in case. "I mean, if you want, I could stick around here for a little bit. A few days, or whatever. You could hang out with Tails and Amy, or just by yourself, and do somethin'."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Well, sure!" Sonic rubbed his nose. "I mean, not for, like, _weeks _or anything, but… I could handle a few days. Are you actually taking me up on it?"

Knuckles shook his head. "I can't. The Master Emerald is _my _responsibility, not yours. I shouldn't be gone even for that long. I have everything I need here. Food, water…"

"You call that everything you need? What about excitement? Hobbies? Companionship?"

"Yeah, you'd know all about companionship, Sonic. You run away from your friends half the time and you wouldn't touch Amy with a ten foot pole if you could help it."

"You know what I mean." Sonic looked at him. "Besides, I'm not into Amy like that."

"At least someone loves you. At least someone is willing to spend all their time being with you."

For several moments, they sat there awkwardly. "Well… what about Rouge?" Sonic said hesitantly. "I mean, if that's what you're after here…"

"Rouge is a thief," the guardian spat. "She doesn't come here for me. She comes here for the Master Emerald. I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her."

Sonic blinked. "Couldn't you throw her pretty far?"

"This is true." Knuckles indeed had stronger arms than anyone around. "I was only using an expression. You see? That's another reason I can't do the things that you and so many others get to do. I don't say things right. People don't… _get _me. I wasn't exactly raised to socialize."

"I don't think most people get most other people anyway. Not completely. 'Sides, that's why you _get _to know people, Knux!"

"And for what?" he demanded. "Only to have to come back here to my isolated island, never to associate with them again? What's the _point_?"

Sonic sighed, finally running out of things to say. He wanted to help; he truly did. He had always been one to believe that any problem had a solution. There was always a way to make things right, or at least make the most of the things you _couldn't _make right.

They couldn't do the former, but maybe they could do the latter.

Quietly, slowly, the blue blur turned to face away from the echidna, then leaned back against his side. Knuckles immediately stiffened.

"What are you doing?"

Sonic shrugged against him. "Just being here," he said. "Because, you know, even though you're kinda stuck here right now… the right friends can bring the world to you." Even though his friend couldn't see it, Sonic smiled. "After all, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter where you are, it's who you're with. That's what makes life memorable, right?"

"Please. That's stretching it coming from someone like you."

"Hey, I know I take off to explore a lot, but even I'd admit life would be crazy boring without my buds. I like seeing new stuff. But the best parts of my life are always on adventures with you guys. Really!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! And if you don't think you get to live the life other people get to live, I'll prove ya wrong. Right here on Angel Island."

Knuckles was still on edge, but managed to find it in himself to unclench his muscles. He hoped Sonic didn't feel his body sink slightly with the release of tension; that would be awkward. "Well, maybe," he said quietly, having a hard time finding his voice for some reason. He figured it was more because he was embarrassed than anything. It wasn't very often he confessed his loneliness and isolation to another, and he had no idea how Sonic of all people had gotten him to do so. It made him feel funny, but at the same time it made him feel good. Somebody cared. "I guess Angel Island is a pretty big place. It wouldn't hurt to explore it a little more often, even though I already know it like the back of my hand. I just would have to check on the Master Emerald frequently in between."

"Hey, I kinda know most of the area like the back of my hand, and _I _still have fun. I'm sure you could too! Maybe it'd even be fun, going out and doing stuff _with _someone for a change. And heck, I wouldn't mind seeing this island again. It's been a while!"

Sonic hadn't meant to rub in his lifestyle by saying he knew the general area very well, but felt bad when Knuckles shot him a sidelong glance, realizing how it must have sounded. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Knuckles cut him off. "Okay," he said simply. "Let's do that. And… uh… thanks, I think."

"Of course! Anything for a bud!"

"Anything?"

Sonic went silent momentarily, having no idea how to receive it. He decided to opt for a vague response, not wanting to make a liar out of himself to Knuckles of all people. "Well, I mean, I care about you and stuff."

"I see," Knuckles said neutrally. "Then, please get off of me."

It wasn't the request Sonic had expected after that confusing moment, but he did so all the same, turning to look at the guardian. Knuckles's violet eyes were bright in the sunlight. "As ya wish, Knux. As ya wish."

Feeling the atmosphere of closure upon their conversation, Sonic pushed himself up and trotted through the grass toward the Tornado. When he was almost there, he glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "So. Tomorrow, then?"

Knuckles nodded. "Tomorrow. See you then."

Sonic nodded too, and was gone.

x

And, that's that. I'd potentially like to keep this going, and have a few ideas for what I'd like to happen. Please comment and lemme know if it's any good! Until next time.


	2. Exploring

Hey again. I'm pleasantly surprised at the feedback so far; thanks much! I did not expect this little story to get much attention, and was surprised to get 9 reviews rather quickly. (...You know, that torturous number that comes right before 10. xD *nudge*) But my own ideas in conjunction with your kind words have gotten me to lay out a plot and direction for this story, essentially overnight. Take another glance at the summary and genres for a better idea. Also, I have edited the first chapter very slightly to include the disclaimer and warning (which I forgot before), along with a tiny prologue-like snippet at the beginning. Not necessary to go back and look, mind you, but feel free.

Anonymous reviews…

Mery: Neat, that's cool. Good luck with your story too, there isn't enough good SonicxKnuckles fanfiction in the world if you ask me. (So much Sonadow though, lol.) Hah, my story will likely have some twists in it as well, and I do indeed plan to finish it, so you're in luck! :) Thank you for your comment.

Guest: I agree, I haven't seen many serious SonicxKnuckles stories myself. And thank you, I am glad that you like it!

Onward!

x

Chapter 2: Exploring

Sonic and Knuckles were pulling their feet through thick grass, almost side-by-side but the former being just a pace in front of the latter. Both of them were early-birds and had essentially risen with the sun.

"Where we goin', Knucklehead?" Sonic asked cheerfully, not meaning anything by the name but saying it just because he could.

"You tell me. This was your grand idea."

"Uh… one of the Zones, then!"

"No."

Sonic cast him a look over his shoulder. "You just said, 'You tell me.' I told you, and you say no?"

"It's too far from the shrine, Sonic. I'm barely even supposed to be going _this _far."

"Says who?"

Knuckles glared at the challenge, even though his blue frienemy wasn't looking to see it. "It's just how it is. Not that I'd expect you to appreciate duty or history."

The blue blur merely shrugged. "'Bout as much as you appreciate fun, and today. Listen, Knuckles, I know it's important and all. It's just that there's other things that are important too! Sometimes you gotta take a few risks in life."

"I somehow think our definitions of 'a few' are pretty different."

"Yeah, well, that don't matter, because we're only taking one right now. Now – where are we _going_? Come on, you know this place better than me."

Knuckles considered. "If we go a little ways into the wood, we could find some of Angel Island's exotic fruits. I haven't eaten this morning anyway, I have a hankering for some grapes."

"…Grapes are exotic?"

The guardian blinked. "I suppose they aren't, are they," he muttered. "Well, at any rate, we can find some fruit. You could maybe take some to Tails or Amy if you want, too."

"Not trying to get rid of me already, are ya?"

"I was just saying." Knuckles grinned. "If I wanted to get rid of you I could just pitch you off the edge of the island."

"My feelings, they hurt," Sonic said with a grin that diminished the effect of his dramatic tone. It occurred to him that if he _hadn't _grinned, Knuckles just might have taken him seriously, gullible as the echidna was. He made a note to try that sometime.

"Be happy they're the only thing that's hurting," Knuckles muttered with a grin of his own. "Come on now, let's go. My stomach is trying to be a third participant in this conversation."

Sonic chuckled. "Okay, okay. If fruit-picking is your idea of an adventure."

"We didn't say anything about an adventure. We were just going to find something to do together. Remember?"

"Okay, okay," Sonic said again. They kept walking, quickly being sheltered by the canopy of thick wood. Despite that, it was very bright; the sun was still rising and was angled only a little higher than level of the island, its light peeking between trees. It cast their shadows dozens of feet along the ground to one side.

For several peaceful minutes, they were both quiet. Although they weren't the best of friends, they knew each other well enough and for long enough that they could easily be comfortable in each other's silence. As they walked, it continued to get brighter and warmer with the birth of the day. Sonic yawned away some lingering morning sleepiness.

"So hey Knuckles, don't ya ever wish you had, like, a bed or something?"

"A bed?"

"Yeah. I mean it's got to be kind of annoying sleeping on stone."

"I have a bedroll," Knuckles said. "Besides, you're one to talk. It's not like you can afford a hotel for the night on your excursions, can you? How often do _you _sleep in a bed these days?

A shrug. "Probably more than you still. I guess I just ask because it's really windy up here compared to down on the surface. Every time I'm at your shrine I'm colder than I was down there." He bobbed his head sideways to gesture to the area below the island. "But then again… you'd have to get a king size bed probably, in order for your precious gem to have room."

Knuckles rolled his eyes, not bothering to get all bent out of shape about the remark. He wasn't going to let Sonic have the satisfaction. "I'll stick with the bedroll. Oh, here we go!" Knuckles sped up, eyes fastened upon something a short ways away. There wasn't exactly a path to tread on, but the echidna was used to making his own.

"What?" Sonic asked, following along, extremely receptive to eagerness. Knuckles didn't respond immediately, apparently not finding it important to answer a question that would be answered shortly anyway.

The roof of branches and tree leaves above them began to give way, letting more swatches of light through. Sticks, leaves, and pine needles crackled beneath their footfalls as they trotted. The forest life continued to thin slightly so that they were in what could almost be considered a clearing. All that kept it from being so was a field of large deciduous trees towering over them, though they were spread out a lot more than the wooded area had been. They cast lengths of shadow along the ground that reached far beyond where Knuckles and Sonic's shadows stretched.

"They are loshyn apple trees," The Master Emerald guardian explained as he approached one of the trees. It might as well have been a pillar to the sky. Its truck was thick and straight, and the branches didn't start until a few dozen feet up. He was surprised he couldn't see them from the shrine. "There are only a few patches of these on Angel Island. For as close as these ones are, I'm surprised I've never seen them before! I don't usually come this way, because it's close to the edge of the island and things don't usually grow as well there."

Sonic took a gander at the tree, his eyes following the trunk up until he saw the bulk of it. "Apples, you say," he muttered, rubbing his nose. "Weird apple trees."

"They are weird," the echidna agreed. "They don't look like most apple trees, and they're quite rare. The apples are higher up, but I can climb and get some. They're very large, and some of the sweetest you'll ever have." Surprisingly, he grinned. "Living on this island isn't _all _bad, you know."

"I guess not!" Sonic exclaimed, ears perking up. "I'm all for good eats! But Knuckles, what happened to knowing this island like the back of your hand?"

"It's not like I'm going to know every single plant here, Sonic," he said defensively. "There are so many kinds, and variants of them. Thousands."

"Isn't there an area here where there's a lot of mushrooms, too?"

"Yeah. Mushroom Hill. It's much bigger than this area. There are other areas, too, where specific types of food tend to grow in mass amounts. Angel Island is peculiar like that."

"Why's that, you suppose?"

The guardian shrugged, going closer to the tree and examining the plants that grew around it. The grass was thick and soft here; a nice place to sit and take a break if they were ever so inclined. "I always figure it has something to do with the Master Emerald," he replied after a moment. "I've never seen another place whose life flourishes as much as Angel Island's does. The Master Emerald can barely be contained by the shrine; it lifted this island up in the air with its massive power, after all. I don't think it'd be too ridiculous to suggest it lifts everything else about this place up a little as well. Perhaps it infects even the soil itself with its energy."

"Ah, that makes sense!" Sonic smiled. "You know, this place is really cool, you're right about that much. If someone weren't so stubborn about letting people around, I'd wanna explore here more often! I mean, you know _I'm _not gonna steal the Master Emerald, right?"

"Oh, I know," Knuckles murmured ironically. "Sometimes my stubbornness is more to protect myself than the Emerald."

"Hey!" Sonic crossed his arms. "Not cool."

"Don't look so offended, I didn't mean just from you. It's just that Angel Island is my home the same way everyone else's house is their home. I know _you _don't understand that, but…" he shrugged. "You want to be able to call a place your own. You know?"

"Yeah, yeah." Sonic said. "But that doesn't mean you can't have visitors, yeah?"

Knuckles thought, wondering just how much he wanted to concede right now. "Yeah," he finally said. After all, he had been lonely as of late. Why contradict his own desires, only out of mere habit? There wouldn't be any harm in seeing a few friendly faces now and then. "Yeah, that is true."

"Anyway, why the hold-up? You getting us some of these epic apples, or what?"

"I will, just as soon as I can get my annoying friend to be quiet."

"Oh, who's that?"

Knuckles rolled his eyes and climbed up the tree. When he got back down, he had four apples gathered in one arm, each one big enough to fill one of his huge hands. Sonic gawked at them, eyes wide, and couldn't help thinking that Chip would have just _flipped out _seeing something so large and delicious looking.

"…Wow. I think that's enough to qualify for a meal."

"No kidding," Knuckles said. "I'm going to have to remember these trees are here."

"Imagine if those showed up in supermarkets. Heh."

The guardian tossed Sonic one of the loshyn apples. He had to catch it with both hands. "Never have, never will."

Sonic stared at the thing, stunned. "I don't think that I can eat all of this."

"What, _you_? Fine, give me what you don't want. I'm not wasting these. I'll take the other three back to the shrine."

Nodding, Sonic tossed the apple up and down in his hand quizzically. When he'd had his fill of doing that, he took a bite. His teeth crunched into it, the skin breaking like it was barely there. It was very sweet as Knuckles had said, and it didn't become chewy in his mouth. He was quite sure it was the best apple ever.

"Any good?"

"Never mind, I might just eat the whole thing," Sonic said with a grin. "I need one of these in my backyard."

"Loshyn apples?"

"Loshyn tree, Knucklehead."

"But you don't have a backyard."

"Well, Tails needs one of these in his backyard."

Knuckles resignedly put one hand on Sonic's shoulder and turned him to face a different direction. The hedgehog did so and started walking without protest, still munching on the apple. Together they made their way back into the forest, at a point parallel to their original path (or lack thereof). The trees were slightly thinner here, and easier to walk between.

The echidna caught sight of a cluster of grape vines and veered to go to them. Sonic stepped quickly in the same direction, trying to disguise that he had almost kept walking without knowing Knuckles would turn. The vines were thick and healthy looking, like almost everything on the island as far as the blue blur could tell. He watched from behind as Knuckles picked through grapes, gathering some and tossing others over his shoulder. It looked routine and practiced, and he realized the guardian did this very often. He probably ate more fruit than anything else.

One of the grapes came Sonic's way, and without thinking he stepped quickly to catch it in his mouth. Almost immediately, he spit it back out and it hit the back of Knuckles's head with force. The echidna whirred around.

"Sorry!" Sonic said with a sheepish grin. "It was icky." To make his point, he ate some more of his apple as if wanting to get rid of the aftertaste.

"Why do you think I tossed it _behind_ me?" Knuckles asked, chucking a grape at Sonic deliberately now in playful vengeance. Sonic caught it, stuck his tongue out, and threw it at Knuckles's head again. Knuckles had one hand full and the other holding onto a vine, and didn't quite dodge in time. "Why, you…" he began. Sonic grinned. Knuckles abandoned the plant and began pelting grapes from his other hand.

"What, am I gettin' under your skin?" Sonic asked, still smirking and easily dodging the little green projectiles – at least for a few seconds until one smacked him square in the chest. He raised and hand rubbed it. "Ow!"

"Sorry!" Knuckles said in almost the same tone Sonic had moments ago, voice laced with sarcasm.

"Jeez, Knuckles! That actually _hurt!_"

"Awww, want me to kiss it, make it better?"

"I'm just saying!" Sonic said defensively, putting his hands out. "I mean, I don't know many people who could hurt someone with a grape!"

"Must've been a crunchy one too," Knuckles said. "Shame it went to waste."

"Well it's your fault!" Sonic bent down and picked up the grape, made eye contact, and then pretended to throw it at Knuckles. Knuckles flinched in anticipation, and then the hedgehog actually _did _throw it, hitting him for a third time even if not nearly as hard. Sonic grinned. "I'm still winning!"

If a grin could combine with a glare, then the look on Knuckles's face was the epitome of such an expression. He hoisted all the fruit to one arm and stood up tall. Sonic, knowing he indeed _had _gotten under the echidna's skin, turned and playfully started off.

"_Get back here, hedgehog!_"

Sonic smiled and accelerated, tearing through the forest at a run while trying not to tear at the vegetation. He figured that actually _would _give his friend reason to be mad, and not to mention it was such a nice place he simply didn't want to ruin it. His footfalls were graceful and deliberate, and he weaved through plants and around trees like a ghost.

To his surprise, Knuckles was succeeding at doing so even more efficiently, and he was gaining ground.

"Oh yeah," the hedgehog said to himself. "Forgot he could glide."

With the echidna soaring through the air and only landing to push himself off again, he was faster than Sonic could be, unless the hedgehog wanted to tear up the mystical forest that was serving his run. Happy with that challenge, Sonic improvised, leaping in the air with powerful leg muscles and using the momentum to spring off a sturdy tree trunk. The motion put him further ahead of the guardian by several large strides. Still, the echidna chased him with vigor. Sonic couldn't tell if he was actually irritated or if he was they were still just playing around.

Then again, when it came to their rivalry, he usually couldn't tell.

He made it out of the forest. They were in an area of plains not far from the bridge and thereby the shrine. Figuring that meant he won, Sonic began to slow down.

Of course, seconds later, Knuckles emerged from the forest too and the resulting collision sent them both tumbling across the grass. Miraculously, the echidna had managed to hang onto all three apples and even a few of the grapes up until that point, but now they all scattered on the ground in a colorful flurry.

"That was too easy, hedgehog." Knuckles got to his feet.

"Was just cutting you some slack. You seemed to need it." Sonic got up too, brushing himself off, and continued eating his apple, having still managed to hold onto it. "Though I gotta give you credit for chasing me at all. Nobody usually bothers!"

Knuckles put his hands on his hips. "I don't let people win on _my _island. Besides, if I was as fast as you, you wouldn't have a chance here."

"Yeah, 'cause I've never won a fight against you here, have I?" Sonic said, receiving a punch in the arm as a result. "You wish you were as fast as me."

"Psh. I don't need to run away to beat my enemies."

Sonic snickered to himself. "Whatever you say, Knuckles." They both knew Sonic didn't use his speed in such a cowardly way, but even the hedgehog had to admit that was a decent comeback. Still, their exchange of insults had given him an idea.

He waited until they got back to the shrine to bring it up. Walking up the stairs and toward the gem, he laughed to himself under his breath.

"Say, Knuckles…"

"Uh-oh."

"You don't know what I'm gonna say yet!"

"The answer is probably no, but go ahead and waste your breath."

"Wanna go for a run? A _real _run?"

"You mean, dragging me by wrist and likely pulling my shoulder out of its socket in the process? Oh, tough choice. I think I'll pass this one up."

"Well, there is _another _way."

Knuckles blinked and stared up at Sonic incredulously, seeing that he was actually serious. "I am not freaking _Tails_. Besides, I would break your back."

"Not if I had some extra strength…" Sonic's eyes flitted over to the massive gem, then back. "You think it'd be fun, wouldn't you? You're curious! You haven't said the word 'no' yet!"

The guardian realized that he hadn't. "No."

"You'd make a liar out of yourself now?" Sonic smirked down at him from the top of the stairs. "Come on. _Live _a little. I've never killed anybody giving 'em a ride."

Knuckles glanced between Sonic and the Master Emerald. For one of the only times in his life, he felt oddly intimidated by the hedgehog, not because he was going to turn down the offer but because he was almost going to say yes. Sonic was challenging him. _Daring _him to do something different.

Knuckles was not a fearful soul. He had been on many an adventure, and come out of many difficult predicaments in order to stop enemies or protect the precious Master Emerald. But the prospect of taking risks and 'living a little' just because he could was something he had not done much of before. In this context, it felt so foreign.

Though his stony exterior was still in place, the guardian gave Sonic his answer by meeting him at the top of the steps.

x

Another chapter down! Being that this story is still a baby, it'd be helpful to know early on whether you guys prefer a focus on romance or more actiony, adventure-ish aspects. There will be a lot of both (heh, hope you didn't think it was gonna stay fluffy forever ;)), as I have the gist of where I'm gonna go with this and what I wanna do with the characters. But, there is still a fair bit of wiggle room, and I also want to give you guys what you'd like, so let me know. :)

Thanks for reading.


	3. Acceleration

Briana: I haven't read many SonicxKnux stuff yet either, so I figured, time to fix that. ;) Glad you like it so far, and here's more! Thanks for commenting.

Echo the Fox: Heh, that made my day! xD Hungry, you say? Well, I'm sure Knuckles would share his grapes… maybe. Uh, anyway, thanks for the comment and cute song! As for your question, I don't think it just has to be one or the other. I realize that neither Sonic nor Knuckles are very romantic types, so a lot of the romance stuff will likely come off as more friendshippy. ;) So, I guess both!

All other anons: Since there are several of you just under the 'Guest' name, I'm not sure how I can respond to you guys unless you type a name in the box. ;) Still, I appreciate that you took a moment to comment either way, and I hope you like the new update.

Here, have another little chapter. :3 Nice to see you guys are enjoying it so far… including a few of you I know who have ironically managed to find me. ;)

Chapter 3: Acceleration

Angel Island raced by them in a blur.

Knuckles had never gone so fast in his life. He could hear the sounds of Sonic's repeated, pattering footsteps below. In reality, they were slamming the ground hard, but the blue blur was moving so quickly that the sounds themselves could hardly keep up.

He was on Sonic's back, the hedgehog holding firmly to his legs as they went around his body. Sonic was making a focused effort on keeping his quills down in order to prevent hurting him. The hedgehog did so easily, and held him easily too, like he was used to it. Knuckles figured that he probably was, since he had carried Tails this way before.

Of course, it helped that Knuckles had let Sonic absorb a small amount of energy from the Master Emerald first. That was what let him handle the echidna's weight with relative ease. At first he had protested, but had ultimately conceded knowing that it was only a tiny, tiny fraction of the Master Emerald's energy that Sonic would need for this.

You wouldn't know it. The experience was so amazing and invigorating, one would think you would need an infinite amount of energy to make it possible. But Sonic was, by and large, his own energy. An innate speed demon.

Knuckles had one arm gripping a quill and the other wrapped around Sonic's front for good measure. He noted with distaste how tightly he was gripping, but he didn't dare to loosen it. A fall at this speed would be injurious at best, even for him. And even for Sonic, too, for that matter. They were both built for resilience, their species' natural spikes providing a lot of protection. But precious little could protect one from wiping out at hundreds of miles per hour.

He imagined that was part of the appeal for Sonic. Sonic liked a little spice of adrenaline in his day.

Normally, Knuckles didn't understand that kind of attitude. He thought it reckless and potentially self-destructive. But now, in the midst of experiencing such speed, such exhilaration… such _fun_, he couldn't help but temporarily reserve his own opinions. It was hard _not _to see why Sonic was the way he was, doing something like this. Even if for only a few minutes, Knuckles felt he could understand.

When it was over, he found himself stunned and disappointed at the stillness of the world. He let himself off Sonic's back, breathing heavily.

The hedgehog looked at him, ears up with curiosity. "Are you okay? How was it?"

"It… was… amazing," Knuckles confessed in a rare moment of uncensored joy. "No _wonder _you can't be still. That's just _crazy_."

"Ya don't get tired of it, either." Sonic smiled, reaching out a hand. Knuckles grasped it and pulled himself up. "One way to wake yourself up in the morning."

The guardian wondered why he was still breathing hard. It wasn't like _he _had done anything. Maybe the excitement alone had caused it. Smiling too, he met Sonic's green eyes. "You know, uh, _thanks_," he said awkwardly. "I'm, uh, I'm glad you convinced me. It was… interesting."

"Want to know what'd be even more interesting?"

Knuckles found himself genuinely curious about the answer, for a change. "What's that?"

Sonic gestured to the edge of the island. "Doing that, down on the surface. Think how much faster we could go. So much more room, less stuff in the way…"

"Sonic…" Knuckles turned away. "I can't. You _know _that."

"Not even for a little?"

He shook his head. "Don't rub it in," he muttered.

"Oh, so you do want to." There was no trace of teasing in Sonic's tone; it was only gentle. The hedgehog's ears fell. He wanted to help, wanted to bring vibrancy to this lonely soul. It had been a year since their last fight against the doctor; normally it never went that long, and without Knuckles having a good reason to leave the island, he had gotten immensely bored. Sonic could see it just looking into those violet eyes.

"In an ideal world," Knuckles said, "there are a lot of things I'd want to do. But _most_ people don't get everything they want, Sonic."

Sonic tried not to feel stung by the remark. He knew what Knuckles was implying. "I don't get _everything _I want. The things I do, I just get because I go for them no matter what other people think I should be doing."

"What if you were here, though? What if you had to protect something with so much power, or risk the lives of a lot of people? Already, you protect people more than anyone. You _must_ understand."

"I do, I do," Sonic said, nodding. "It's just that… well, sometimes you have to put yourself first. Even if only a little. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do." He paused. "I know it isn't that simple, but… honestly, if someone wants that gem of yours badly enough, they'll just keep trying until they get it. You'll end up recovering broken pieces, or trying to find it, like always. It's how it always happens."

"Which is all the more reason to guard it. If I didn't do that, who would? And anyway, it's my responsibility to prevent that kind of thing from happening for as long as I can… even if I can't prevent it forever. I have to do my best."

"I'm all for that," Sonic said. "It's just, there has to be another way. There's gotta be more for you out there than this!"

"Maybe, maybe not," Knuckles said neutrally. "Sonic… what do you want that you don't get?" He wasn't sure why he was asking. Maybe just to know for sure that even Sonic had some gaps in his life. Knuckles was tired of feeling like he was the only one missing out on everything.

"Sometimes I wonder…" Sonic began casually, "what it's like when you're, you know, with someone. Not very _much_. I mean, it's really just not my thing, but…"

Knuckles cut off Sonic's rambling. "Why not try being with Amy, then? Not like you don't have the chance."

"It's not that simple," Sonic said.

"Please." Knuckles frowned at him. He envied people like Sonic. But if there was anything that stung more than watching someone have the life that _he _wanted, it was watching them discard an opportunity without even realizing what they had. It was almost sickening to him how much people took things for granted. Sometimes, even Sonic.

"It's really not!" the hedgehog protested.

"You at least have the opportunity. If you choose not to take advantage of it, then what reason do you have to be upset over it? You could try it anytime you wanted." He paused. "Not everyone can do that, you know."

"But I don't like Amy like that," Sonic said. "And besides, I…"

"What?" Knuckles snapped, then felt bad for being impatient. "…Go on."

"I just feel like… if I were to try being with Amy, or _anyone _for that matter, I'd be acting selfish because I'd know right from the start I would end it later. I wouldn't stay. I can't."

"Why not?"

Sonic shrugged. "It just ain't me, Knux. You know that. I couldn't pin myself down like that. And so I just… don't even bother with it. Even when I'm curious, even when I think I might be missing something. Because I'm afraid I'd hurt someone or make them believe in something that'd never really go anywhere."

"Pardon my bluntness, but isn't that your problem? You _still _have the choice. The only reason you don't is because you're afraid of losing your precious freedom."

"Well, you have a choice too," Sonic pointed out. "Everyone has a choice. You're only trapped if you choose to be."

"So you're asking me to compare _guarding something that could endanger the world_, with guarding your own selfish freedom? I just don't see the comparison."

Sonic shrugged. "At the end of the day, it all comes down to the same thing: what's worth more to ya. And besides, my own 'selfish freedom' is just me, the same way guarding the Master Emerald is just you."

"I didn't mean that," Knuckles said quietly. "You… you are not selfish, Sonic. If you were, you wouldn't have bothered to try and help me. If you were, you wouldn't have gone through so much to fight your enemies and protect people you don't even know."

"Hey, don't get all apologetic on me. I can handle ya." Sonic smiled. "The thing is, you do the same thing that I do, Knuckles, just in a different way. You fight to protect people… only yours is constant, never ending. I get breaks, and when I get breaks I explore or whatever. I hang out with people. I see the world. But you don't get breaks. I don't think that's right, Knuckles."

"Yeah, well, thanks," the guardian murmured noncommittally. "Guess I'm full-time, huh. I don't think it's right either, but that doesn't change anything."

"The world has changed because of people who don't think something is right," Sonic reminded him. "Heck, you and me and Tails have changed things before because we don't think Egghead is right."

"But it's not that…"

"Simple? No, it's not. _Nothing _is simple, and I think we've said that enough for a lifetime today. But that doesn't mean it's impossible. Nothing is impossible, either."

Knuckles was sorely tempted to tell Sonic to go fly off the edge of Angel Island, over the ocean, and back to Station Square if nothing was impossible, then foresaw the hedgehog's likely response – 'Sure thing, lemme just go hop in the Tornado!' – and decided against it. Besides, he didn't really want to say anything that would encourage Sonic to leave, even if it was only in jest.

…For a change.

Reduced to concurrence, Knuckles finally nodded. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

Sonic looked at him, surprised. "Are you serious? I mean… _I _think I'm right but I didn't expect you to."

"Tell me, then, Sonic," said Knuckles, "how do you think to make these things possible?"

He didn't expect Sonic to have an answer, and was already feeling a sense of grim satisfaction at that fact. To his surprise, disappointment, and contradicting relief, Sonic did. "I'm thinking you and Tails could put your heads together, and get some kinda security system going for the shrine!"

Ego sufficiently depleted, Knuckles merely listened as Sonic elaborated.

"I mean, it might take a while, but Tails is better at that kind of thing than anyone around. I'm sure he'd love to help ya. Maybe you could wear something around your hand that would go off if someone new was detected on Angel Island."

"I can already sense through the Master Emerald's energy when someone is on the island."

"I'm talking about when you're not on it yourself, silly. You can't still sense that when you're not near the Master Emerald, can you?"

Knuckles shook his head no.

"Then, there ya have it! Though, you'd need to work with Tails in order to make it happen, so you'd have to leave the island a little bit anyway in the meantime. Maybe we could use the opportunity to go for that longer run, eh?"

"I didn't say yes yet, Sonic."

"You haven't said no yet."

_I need to stop getting myself into these types of discussions. _"Let me think about it. It does sound like a good idea, but I can't make decisions like this lightly. And Sonic," his voice became very firm, "You have to understand that even if we do this, it doesn't mean I can leave the island all the time. There will still be many times that the Master Emerald has to come first."

Sonic nodded. "I understand that kinda thing better than you think, bud," he said. "Even if for different reasons."

Knuckles nodded too. He knew that to be true, from what Sonic had said about relationships earlier. Indeed, Sonic knew what it was like to deny one desire because something else was more important – in Sonic's case, other people's feelings, and his own freedom. In Knuckles's case, the duty his bloodline had held for generations throughout millennia.

Neither of them were in a position to live a life where they were tied to any other commitment. Knuckles had never consciously realized it before, but now he understood. He and Sonic had more in common than he had ever thought.

"Sonic."

"Yeah?"

"…Thank you. For today. It was enjoyable for me."

"Aw, it's nothing. I…"

"No, it's not nothing," Knuckles said, shocked at the conviction in his own voice. It wasn't often that he found himself addressing Sonic – or anyone – with such gratefulness. But for all things he wasn't, Knuckles was honorable when it was warranted. He owed it to the hedgehog to at least say thank you. "It is something, to me. You brought some freedom to this place for me, today. You reminded me what it's like to… have fun."

Sonic strode closer to his echidna friend. Without thinking about it, without reservation, he grasped Knuckles's shoulder and gave a squeeze that was both confident and encouraging. "Come with me." Sonic smiled. "Talk to Tails about security. Stay a day on the surface. Don't think about it this time; you owe that to yourself. Just once, don't think about it. Just say yes."

For the second time that day, Knuckles abandoned forethought and caution, and agreed.

It would be the second of many times.


	4. Security

Yep, this story's still here and happening. I'm not exactly sure why I haven't updated in over a month now, but regardless, it's here now. I quite like how this chapter ultimately turned out. Hopefully you do too. :3

Briana: Thank you! Heh, sorry this isn't exactly 'soon.' Glad you're liking it so far!

Chapter 4: Security

As Sonic had promised, Tails quickly agreed to help Knuckles with a security system for the Master Emerald, even saying he was happy Knuckles wanted to hang out with them more now. Knuckles smartly didn't respond to that. He _did_ want to hang out with his friends more now – things truly had gotten lonely at Angel Island after so long, even though he was supposedly used to it – but he didn't want anyone to get too excited about it this soon. Still, it was heartwarming seeing Sonic and Tails so happy to be in his presence. Maybe they had missed him, too.

Considering the positives, Knuckles noted that the security system would be a benefit either way. Even if he still spent most of his time at the island, it wouldn't be rendered unnecessary – it would be a great backup, and a way to get confirmed warning when there were things going wrong. He told Sonic so, and the hedgehog gave him a thumbs-up.

"There ya go, Knuckles. But remember, we're trying to get you to come _off _the island now and then too."

"Yeah." He knew he had to compromise that much. They were helping him, and in return, he would try his best to make the efforts worth it for them, too. It was only fair.

"Anyway, let's get outta here for a bit. Tails doesn't want us bugging him while he's working, anyway."

"I'm right here," the fox said, smiling.

"Well, am I wrong?"

A shrug. "I guess not. If you get food, will you bring me back something as well?"

"Sure thing, my friend." Sonic gave out another cheery thumbs-up and then took hold of Knuckles's wrist. "Come on! How 'bout we get some real food in ya, hm?"

As he was dragged out of Tails's garage – albeit willingly – Knuckles couldn't help but roll his eyes. "It's not like I've never eaten outside of Angel Island, Sonic. And for the love of Chaos you better not be taking me for chili dogs."

"Oh, get the stick out of your ass." Sonic grinned. "For what it's worth I was _actually _thinking we'd go get some dessert somewhere. You know, some kind of thing with all that fruit you like so much. Buuut, if you don't want to…"

"How are we supposed to pay for it anyway?"

"One a' the ice cream places in Central City lets me eat free. I try not to too much because I'd feel bad, but…" Sonic shrugged. "Well, I helped the owners find their kid once. It was coincidental, I was in the area and they didn't know where he was. Anyway, we're gonna have to eat at some point anyway so I was thinking maybe there."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Don't let me forget to grab Tails something too, right?"

"Do you guys just eat junk food all the time? It's astounding how horribly people eat…"

"Nah, not all the time. Tails stocks up on healthy stuff a lot." Sonic didn't elaborate further, so Knuckles figured it was time to stop nitpicking at everything and just let it be.

They jogged to Central City, Sonic wordlessly letting Knuckles set the pace while still taking the lead in order to direct them. It was a busy place. There was so much noise that it all blended together in the background, and neon signs were alight on the downtown streets. The ice cream parlor, a local hot spot that attracted a lot of traffic, was simply called 'Ice Cream,' as it stood on its own and was not franchised. It was one of those places that had a window to order at and seats outside. Knuckles decided to order a banana split, then proceeded to watch Sonic get some kind of giant chocolate peanut butter thing.

"Your body doesn't make sense," Knuckles commented once they were sitting down. "The way you eat, how are you even…?"

"None of our bodies make sense," Sonic remarked. "We have hands as big as our torsos."

"You know what I mean."

Sonic shrugged nonchalantly. "Big deal. One huge sundae isn't going to make me break a scale or something. 'Sides, I'm gonna go for a run after this."

Knuckles couldn't stop looking at the dense gobs of ice cream in Sonic's cup. The banana split was delicious, but he figured almost _anyone _would openly stare at what Sonic was eating. "…Can I try that?"

"Knock yourself out."

Ignoring the veiled humor in that response, Knuckles took a bite with his spoon. "Yeah, good as it looks."

"Oh!" The blue blur hopped up suddenly. "Tails. Kid's gotta eat. Be right back."

Knuckles watched Sonic walk quickly back up to the window. It wasn't often that Sonic merely walked, but since the distance was close, it was unnecessary to do much more than that. He liked when Sonic walked. It looked awkward, like he was uncomfortable doing it, but that made it funny and appealing in some strange way. He wondered why Sonic didn't walk more. You didn't have to spend your life rushing through everything.

He decided to stop thinking so much and just eat some more of Sonic's ice cream.

The hedgehog got back a minute later but didn't sit down. Tails's ice cream had a plastic lid on. "Heya Knuckles, would you do me a favor?"

"Sure, I can take the ice cream back to Tails."

"Knew I could count on ya, buddy." Sonic slapped his shoulder and almost took off before looking like he remembered something. "You sticking around?" he asked. "Or going back for the night?"

"Guess I might as well just say I'm sticking around right from the get-go at this point," Knuckles said. "But I'm leaving in the morning."

"Right then, you can have the sofa. Tails is already cool with it. I'll probably be on the roof or whatever. Was just wondering, though. The evening's still young, y' know?"

"Yeah, uh… While you're running I'm going to go find somewhere quiet. I'm not a fan of big cities."

"Sure thing, Knuckles." Sonic nodded his head sideways. "How 'bout the lake? Should be pretty calm this time of day."

"That sounds good," Knuckles said, and it did. He had a low tolerance for so many people in one place. "I'll need to take a dip anyway. Rinse all the dirt off from being in the woods earlier."

"There's these things called showers," Sonic said. "You should try one sometime."

"I don't need such a thing."

"Uh. Everybody needs showers."

"Everybody needs to _wash_," Knuckles corrected. "I do so just fine on my island. There is plenty of water there and there are plenty of natural plants and saps that are good for cleansing."

"Yyyeah, uh, none of that here," said the younger male. "Do I need to ask Tails to let you use his shower, too?"

Knuckles sighed and grumbled. "Fine. But I'm still going to go the lake in the meantime. I don't feel like sitting under a roof."

"I know what you mean there," Sonic agreed. "Right then, I'll meet ya over there in a bit."

x

It was a green, moist area. A few feet away where water reached, soaked grass clung to its land. It was a nice little area, but not the kind of area most people went when approaching a shoreline. Most people went on the sand. But Knuckles did not want to be around most people right now. Coming here would give him solitude.

Still, he was in close view of the beach area so that Sonic would be able to find him. Nobody occupying it could see him as far as he could tell – not that there were many people there anyway since it was getting dark – but he could see them. They were silhouetted against the lights of the city in the background. Two such silhouettes were standing very close to each other, and he was certain they were kissing. He crossed his arms and looked away, mildly disgusted.

Sometimes it was easier to be disgusted with things you couldn't have.

He remembered his conversation with Sonic about relationships this morning. It seemed like a week ago rather than part of a day. For some reason this day had been really long. He couldn't tell if it was in a good way or a bad way. On one hand it could have been his stress regarding the Master Emerald. On the other it could have been because he had _done _so much more in this day than he usually did on a normal day.

Knuckles had never really had a day like this before. His days were either consistent in their isolation and predictability on Angel Island, or chaotic and frustrating with the onset of another 'adventure.' There really had never been an in-between.

This day had stimulated his mind. Gotten him on the track to consider possibilities he had never dared to think about before. For some reason, he had the impression it had stimulated Sonic's, too. What had begun as a brief conversation had turned into two days of being around each other almost constantly. He had never seen Sonic in such a good light before. He really wasn't so bad.

Knuckles wondered what Sonic thought of him. Him, the duty-driven, hardheaded island dweller. The guardian was proud of his duty and his backstage but important role in this world… but at the particular moment, he did not see himself as anything fantastic. He was looking at himself through the lens of Sonic.

Why did Sonic want to help him, anyway? He had seen Sonic help so many others before, whether it be saving their lives or saying encouraging words. It was weird to be on the receiving end of that, after merely witnessing it all these years.

There wasn't even anything about him that should appeal to that hedgehog. In spite of their similarities, they were opposites in so many ways. Why did Sonic even bother?

Why did _he _even bother?

What was he even doing here?

He was standing at the edge of a lake, literally doing _nothing_, while the Master Emerald sat unattended atop Angel Island. He was confused, alone and anxious. At least at the island he could eliminate the former and the latter. What was he doing here?

As if in response to his questions, Sonic came out of nowhere right then, plowing into him like a truck and landing them both in the water at the shore. Knuckles cried out in surprise.

Oh yeah. _That's_ what he was doing here.

He couldn't decide whether he felt irate or fond as he got up to the sound of Sonic's chuckling.

"What in the world was _that _for?"

Sonic was already back on the grass, and struggling through a fit of laughter. "Had to get you back from when you knocked me out of the forest earlier," he managed to say. "At least neither of us were carrying anything this time."

Maybe not, the guardian thought to himself, but his thoughts had scattered just like the fruit he had carried this morning. Again, he didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Somewhere in that mess of thought, he had been working up to saying something to that hedgehog…

"You would have freaked if I pushed you at the water like that," the guardian said instead, rubbing water out of his eyes.

"But ya didn't." Sonic swished a hand. "What ifs don't exist."

Knuckles ignored that – Sonic still appeared smug from being able to sneak up on the guardian at all – and instead changed the subject entirely. "Didn't expect you here so soon. That was fast."

"Really."

"It seemed like you were only gone for a few minutes," Knuckles said.

"That so? Were you keeping yourself busy, then?"

He shrugged. "Not particularly. It's very nice here, though."

Neither of them noticed the sun had set until they glanced out over the lake again. They could see the brightness radiating from where it had been, quite a ways off to the left from the center of the lake. It too helped highlight the city so that they could see all the silhouettes. It was an effect that felt like viewing the world from the outside: being invisible, yet seeing everything. All the objects and individuals looked black, and the most colorful part of the world about them was the deep azure sky.

It was bittersweet for Knuckles, seeing a part of the world much broader than the one he was stuck with.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he heard himself say.

"What?" Sonic asked quietly, truly confused. "What'd I do, buddy?"

_I'm not your buddy. _A voice resonated in his mind; his response of years past. He didn't say it out loud because he wouldn't have meant it. He never really had. "You stayed with me today," he said softly. The softest the guardian's voice got, anyway. "We had fun. You gave me a normal day to have." He stared off at the sky, body rigid like a pillar. "Reminded me – or maybe even showed me for the first time – what that's like."

"And that's… a _bad _thing?"

"You really don't get it, do you?" Knuckles turned his gaze on the blue hedgehog, taking in those confused emerald eyes. They practically glowed in the starlight. "You gave me something I can't keep. Something I never knew I needed so much. Imagine if you were never able to run fast. You wouldn't know what it's like, so you wouldn't care. Just like most others don't care about running like you do." He clenched his fists. "But then when you get introduced to it in a way you never have been before, and you _know _it, then you need it… more than you've ever needed it."

Knuckles stopped talking, realizing that he was not only talking about exploration and freedom.

"But Knuckles," Sonic began, smiling as always. "You _can _keep it! We can make things work for ya, buddy."

"No," he said simply. "We can't. Because at the end of the day, I'll always go back to that place. That beautiful, lonely… dreadful place. Just like you'll always be around to save the world, or fight Eggman."

"Yeah, I will," Sonic said, "Yet I don't let that stop me from anything, do I? I know you'll always have to go back, you'll always have your duty… but that doesn't mean it's gotta be the only thing! You have to believe me!"

"I'm not you, Sonic." Knuckles felt so insufficient, so clueless. He didn't appreciate the world like Sonic did. He didn't know how.

Then again, Sonic didn't appreciate stillness, homeliness, or devotion the way Knuckles did. In some ways, Sonic was the one missing out.

They were both missing out on everything the other one had… and both experiencing what the other didn't have.

"Maybe things aren't perfect, Knux," Sonic said softly, "but we can make them a little closer. Even if you can't be as free as you want, even if you're bound by boring responsibilities and such…" He grinned, but met Knuckles's eyes with sincerity, "You can always be free with me."

Knuckles locked onto the eye contact. "You never answered my question," he said thickly, but there was a smile betrayed at the corner of his mouth. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I guess… after Eggman went quiet for a year, I got a little bored too."

"So I'm a fix?" It wasn't an accusation, but an honest question.

Sonic shrugged. "Well, that's not how I saw it. I hadn't seen you in a while, and I wanted to catch up. I guess that time gap left us with a lot to say, huh?"

"I think when life leaves you alone long enough for you to reflect on what you've done with it, you start to see things a bit differently," Knuckles said. "I used to not mind what I did. But now that nothing is happening, it feels as though I've just wasted months and months sitting in front of… a rock. Yet at the same time, I needed to." Again, he stopped talking. He was doing too much of it lately, and his lack of social skills left him sounding disorganized.

"No one's asking you to _stop_, Knuckles. Get that through your hard head." Sonic knocked on the echidna's head for emphasis. "Heck, I wouldn't want you to, for my _own _sake! I got a life to live here too!"

Knuckles grasped Sonic's hand before he could withdraw it. He wasn't entirely sure why and hadn't really thought about it. After a few seconds of awkward quiet, he followed up. "You haven't even left me with a choice," he said. "I can't keep sitting there on a shrine every day and never do anything until someone like Eggman shows up. Not after this." He gripped the hand tighter. "And if you're bored, we'll take care of that, too. Because you're _not_ backing out after all the stuff you've managed to talk me into lately. And Sonic…" he moved closer.

"…Yeah?" Sonic held his ground, eyes gentle and unafraid.

Knuckles continued quietly. "If the Master Emerald is not there when I get back, it is all your fault."

"I can live with that risk," Sonic murmured. "And I think you can, too."

…_Tease._

Xxx

Thanks for reading! 'Til next chapter, which will likely be much sooner than this one was. In the meantime, please let me know whatcha thought!


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